Salt Lake already has serious street cred among foodies for its brew scene and artisan coffee roasters, but the area is just as alluring for art connoisseurs. From thought-provoking murals splattered against building facades to interactive art classes, Salt Lake is the perfect place to channel your inner artist or learn a new craft. Here’s our insider guide to the best interactive and street art views.
Street Art Creativity knows no bounds in Salt Lake. Here are five of …more

The bands and musicians that play Salt Lake inevitably come back, despite it being relatively far away from other tour stops—this city is full of passionate music makers and fans, and the stoke is infectious. And in addition to its popular outdoor music festivals and superstar arena concerts, Salt Lake has some awesome smaller venues that are booking killer shows. Here’s a guide to the best small and mid-sized places to see live music in SLC, and who’s playing this month.
The DepotLocated in …more

Why Utah Is A Beer-Lovers Paradise

I like beer, so my travels frequently find me seeking out places that
make great beer. Luckily, I live in a state where some passionate
people built local breweries that make craft beer. And while there is
still lingering suspicions of bizarre liquor laws in Utah, recent
changes to the laws have made it a non-issue. The membership requirement
to enter bars that many people reference was removed in 2009. More info
on the laws can be found here; but trust me, you can stroll into a bar and order a drink seven days a week.

In order to convince you to come to Utah for a reason other than the
best skiing in the world and our five stunning National Parks, I decided
to highlight what is happening in the local craft beer scene in Utah
through one of my recent day trips.

The Brewers Association, a not-for-profit trade association of
American craft brewers defines craft brewing as "small and independent"
with annual production of "6 million barrels of beer or less." They also
added that no more than 25 percent of the brewery can be owned or
controlled by a beverage industry member who is not also a craft brewer.
According to beerinfo.com, the term "craft beer" is beer that is made using traditional methods with consideration for flavor over mass appeal.

My quest for craft beer started with the Uinta Brewery.
Situated on the west side of Salt Lake City, it is one of the only
locally owned and operated breweries in Utah. Founded in 1993, 2013
marks the brewery's 20th anniversary. According to their sales
literature the company is "named after the only major East-West running
mountain range in the Continental U.S." Uinta attends beer festivals
across the country in different cities, states and ski towns. They have
won numerous awards, including nine in 2012, according to their web site. Tough job, but somebody has to pour those samples.

Many thanks go to Jamie Horton, the account manager who arranged our
tour. I was introduced to Jamie through my boyfriend Jim, who has an
ongoing love affair with craft beer. We ran into Jamie at several
festivals during the year and each time I would mentioned wanting to
know more about the brewery. So she met us in their Brewhouse Pub for a
private tour. We arrived early with the intention to eat lunch and
sample the product before the tour -- it would seem wrong not to do so.

At the start of the tour, Jamie told us they consider themselves
craft brewers and that it is currently the only growth category in the
beer industry. A Brewers Association report confirms this, stating a
2011 growth rate for craft brewers of 13 percent by volume and 12
percent in the first half of 2012. In comparison, the overall beer
industry declined by 1.3 percent.

Uinta's sales in 2012 will exceed 2011 by 60 percent. In 2012 they
produced 45,000 barrels of beer. It may seem like a lot, but in
comparison, Coors Beer produces just over 20 million barrels a year.
Sixty percent of Uinta's beer is sold in Utah, and the rest is
distributed to 22 other states.

Jamie surmised that in addition to award winning craft beer, part of
their growth is directly attributable to new packaging, a proprietary
bottle with a unique shape and new, very hip labeling. One of the
aspects of the new bottle is an embossed compass circling the bottle.
According to Lindsay Berk, Uinta's marketing manager, "the symbolism of a
compass just felt right and fitting, and thus became part of our logo
and our proprietary bottle." She added that part of what it evokes is
the company's sense of direction and focus on brewing quality,
consistent beers. Another interpretation is related to their sense of
adventure and exploration, both inside and outside the brewery.

I invited two of my co-workers to tag along on the tour because I
knew they would appreciate the opportunity. And I was right. While
touring the brewery they were in awe of the mash tuns, brew kettles and
fermentation tanks. If you don't know what any of these things are, run,
don't walk to your closest brewery that offers a tour -- it is
fascinating. My favorite parts were the bottling and kegging stations.
During our tour they were in full swing and we dodged forklifts and
boxes flying down the line as we gaped at the vast quantities of beer.

After 20 years, Uinta's beer is still creative and inventive. My
personal favorite is the Yard Sale Winter Lager. Although I'm not a
copious beer drinker, I love the stuff. More importantly I love the
craft beer culture. The gleam in the eyes of the guys who came with me
reminded me how much beer drinkers love beer. The people at Uinta
Brewing genuinely love what they do and the joy it provides. If you have
the chance to visit our great state, stop by and say hello. Raise your
glass of Yard Sale and toast the craft beer culture.

Have you ever thought about taking a trip just to visit a craft brewery?